And we’re off!

We hit the road last weekend, and are now boondocking at the Slabs, in nearly the same spot we were in last year.

The frantic pace of L.A. is behind us and the roaring din of freeways is gone. In fact, the loudest noises we hear at any given time are packs of dogs barking, music playing, and occasionally the “thwap! thwap! thwap! thwap!” of mid-afternoon V-22 Osprey training drills on the adjacent Navy bombing range.

As we drove to the desert, I couldn’t help but be horrified at the cost of diesel, as high as $3.89 a gallon. Just as I started to panic when thinking about the triple-digit fuel-ups we’re in for, I got an email from Flying J, to let me know about their new Frequent Fueler Advantage Program.

As Flying J / Pilot Travel Center’s newest loyalty program, the Frequent Fueler Advantage Program gives members:

• Instant fuel discounts at the pump on diesel, gas, and propane
  • $0.03 off diesel (currently available at RV and auto diesel lanes only (coming soon to truck diesel lanes)
  • $0.02 off gas
  • $0.10 off propane
• $5 off dumping fees
• Members-only offers for anyone who takes time to register their card:
  • Unlimited fuel discounts (no max gallons)
  • Pump Start*
  • Other benefits like the Coffee Club, buy 5 hot beverages and the 6th is on us!

What got me interested in signing up with the program is the “Pump Start” benefit. This perk enables RVers to start the fuel pump instantly, just by swiping the registered loyalty card.

For passengers like me, this means that I don’t have to interrupt my knitting, just to go inside and pay whenever we stop for fuel.

If you already have a Flying J or Pilot loyalty card, like the Driver Payback Card or Frequent Fueler Card, you don’t need a new card, you can keep using them. But just be sure to go online to register your existing card so you can get all of the benefits of the new Frequent Fueler Advantage Program(you can also have the station clerk do it).

Last fall on our way to the West Coast we went over Wolf Creek Pass in Colorado.

As one of the most dangerous passes in the Rockies, this 10,857′ pass features grades up to 8 percent in places. It’s especially treacherous when traveling Westbound, and even worse when snow is on the ground.

This crazy pass is so steep that 70s country singer C. W. McCall (of “Convoy” fame) even wrote a song about it, called Wolf Creek Pass:

I looked at Earl and his eyes was wide.
His lip was curled, and his leg was fried.
And his hand was froze to the wheel like a tongue to a sled in the middle of a blizzard.

I says, “Earl, I’m not the type to complain
But the time has come for me to explain
That if you don’t apply some brake real soon, they’re gonna have to pick us up with a stick and a spoon…”

This is the second time we’ve headed westbound over the pass on our way to Pagosa Springs, just east of Durango. In the past, as RVing greenhorns we would’ve smelled our brakes heating up the whole way. But now, Trucker Jim is experienced enough to keep those babies nice and cool, and we smelled nothing when we got to the bottom.

One thing that really helps is knowing where the twists and turns might get you into trouble. The Mountain Directory West for Truckers, RV, and Motorhome Drivers is one of the most useful books we’ve acquired since hitting the road. It tells you where you might find trouble, and what roads are best avoided when hauling a heavy load.

We’ll be putting it to good use on Saturday, when we hit the road again.

When you live the hobo lifestyle, many people will mistakenly assume that you’re either a trustafarian or you’ve won the lotto. We’ve had many people comment “oh you must be rich” when we tell them how we live.

Rich in spirit, mind, body and soul maybe, but financially, we are not (yet! hah!).

Most people don’t believe it, but you really don’t need to be rich to take an extended travel sabbatical and see the sights you’ve always wanted to see. All it takes is the determination to work out the details and finance the trip.

No More Excuses!

If you’re thinking of hitting the road but your finances, job, family, pet or health situation is keeping you from doing it, stop right now and pick up a copy of “Answers to the Common Excuses Not to Travel Full-Time.”

Our NuRVer friends Chris and Cherie recently published a useful 78-page e-book that addresses 15 different excuses that people make for not living the travel lifestyle they’ve always dreamed of. From figuring out how to get rid of your stuff, to planning for health care and making a living, “Answers to the Common Excuses” will motivate you to put your dream in motion.

Available on a pay-what-it’s-worth-to-you basis, just just follow this link to pick up your copy today!

Going through seven Western states in less than two weeks is faster than we usually travel.

But we’re on a schedule and meeting up with West Coast Tripawds between Washington and San Francisco over the next two weeks, all before Thanksgiving.

Despite boondocking in parking lots and making do with just water and electric in other places, I’m doing my best not to abandon the healthy, semi-vegan eating habits I adopted back at Jerry’s Acres, after NuRVer Sara introduced me to the “How It All Vegan cookbook.

Adopting a vegan diet has always been something I wanted to do, because I’ve never felt completely at ease about eating fish and dairy products. But I’ve continued to eat these things to keep the peace between Carnivore Jim and I in the kitchen.

However, once one of us (who shall remain nameless) was told he had high cholesterol and potential pre-diabetes, I knew it was time to get serious about cutting the animal products and processed crap out of our diet.

Vegans have always been a side-show curiosity to me. My initial impression of them was that they always seemed to be the hippy dippy ones in the health food store who are sniffling and malnourished looking. I wondered how anyone could get by without eating some kind of animal fats and cheese.

But now I know my impressions were wrong. This awesome little cookbook has shown me that with some simple food item replacements (i.e., use apple sauce instead of eggs in baking), adopting a vegan eating habit is easier than it seems. It’s not all about tofu and flax oil either. And so far, neither Jim nor I have been sick since starting this diet. Jim’s also dropped some serious weight too.

Upsides to the vegan diet while living in an RV:

• I’ve got tons more room in the fridge and freezer, because it’s not filled with dairy products.
• Our food bill is less now that I’m not buying $4 blocks of cheese every week.
• Most meals are so easy to prepare, making cooking and cleanups while boondocking a snap.

Jim isn’t thrilled with everything I’ve made out of the cookbook, but he’s being a good sport as always, and eating what gets served when I’m in the kitchen. I know he won’t admit it, but even he feels better now that his arteries aren’t weighed down with the fatty foods. On the special occasions when we do have sweet stuff laden with sugar, it tastes twice as nice.

Here’s one of my favorite recipes from the How It All Vegan cookbook. See how simple eating vegan is? Try it while you’re on the road, it doesn’t get much easier or tastier than this.

Tanya’s Asian Creation

• buckwheat noodles (enough for 4 people)
• 2 cups cubed squash (butternut is my favorite)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb. medium tofu, cubed
• 1-3 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 stalks green onions, chopped
• 4 tbsp flax oil
• Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (garnish)
• gomashio (garnish made with ground up sesame seeds, salt & kelp)

In a medium pot, boil the noodles in water on high heat. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, saute the squash in the oil on high heat for about 5 minutes, then add the tofu, pepper and salt. Continue cooking until the squash can be easily pierced with a fork. Add the onions, cover and set aside. When the noodles have finished cooking, rinse in hot water then place back into the pot and toss with the flax oil to prevent sticking. Place them into a bowl or on a plate and top with the squash mixture, then garnish with Braggs and gomashio. Makes 2-4 servings.

A word to the wise for any snowbirds living in potentially freezing temperatures who may be trying to squeeze every day they can out of their “summer” stay…

If you prepare your rig for departure, leave immediately!

We were feeling pretty good about staying here at Jerry’s Acres this long, considering we left right after last year’s first major dumping of snow in late September.

Then we decided to schedule our departure for this week, and started to get the rig ready over the weekend.

This included cleaning, packing, and yes, putting some water in the tank. Now we’ve had a couple cold days and nights. Freaking cold. Low twenties last time I checked.

After the first night, we had frozen lines and a blown water pump fuse. We plan to winterize the house and leave tomorrow, with hopes that things will thaw out before we reach our first stop.

If we don’t leave now, you may see us on the next season of Ice Road Truckers.